Butterfly drum
Giger & Partner, as Schulthess’s new in-house agency, is launching the company’s latest laundry technology
Giger & Partner launches Schulthess' latest washing technology as the new in-house agencyBy Luca Aloisi The Schulthess image appears to be spotless. But in the saturated washing machine market, a clearer brand profile is needed. The washing machine manufacturer's new in-house agency, Giger & Partner, embodies the brand values with a textile butterfly, among other things.
With a sales share of around 83%, the Washing Technology division remains the mainstay and one of the two core competencies of the Schulthess Group. However, sales in the saturated Swiss market - 20 percent in the private household segment and over 50 percent in the commercial segment - are reaching their growth limits. In addition, the economic development did not bring the expected slight upturn in the market.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, residential construction also declined in the 3rd quarter of 2002. This comes after the Swiss construction industry already had fewer building sites to work on in 2001 compared to the previous year. On the supplier side, the Wolfhausen-based company is confronted with price wars and eroding margins.
It is good to know that the Swiss brand is "very well established in the export business in the main markets of England, France and Italy and is increasingly taking on a strong position", according to the company.
Schulthess is responding to the harsh environment on the domestic market with a clear commitment to Switzerland as a development and production location. Accordingly, the appliances are positioned in the upper quality and price segment. In order to maintain this quality strategy, CEO Rudolf Kägi continues to focus on above-average innovation.
CFO Max M. Müller does not attribute the recovery of the share price from its annual low in October to the upcoming technology launch. Instead, he cites the company's solidity and growth in the export business as evidence of good prospects for the future - and the new development for a clear lead over the competition: Schulthess is launching a washing drum that has been enlarged by 10 percent in time for the construction trade fair at the end of January.
Saying goodbye to athletics is not difficult
With unchanged external dimensions, the free-floating technology in the Spirit models achieves better space conditions and a more efficient washing process. Program times can be further shortened and water and energy consumption reduced.
While the marketing managers used to advertise the short program times - with somewhat mundane athletics visuals - they are now switching to emotions.
The strategy they developed with Giger & Partner is designed to appeal to both men and women. "While women tend to make the purchasing decision in single-family homes, it's men who make the decision when buying for apartment buildings or in the commercial sector," says Rémy P. Giger, explaining the decision to move away from sports motifs. The tonality of the campaign is a mix of emotional elements - fabrics, lightness, stylized butterfly - and technical facts. The butterfly in Schulthess' corporate colors also forms the link to nature, which is in line with sustainable production.
With a sales share of around 83%, the Washing Technology division remains the mainstay and one of the two core competencies of the Schulthess Group. However, sales in the saturated Swiss market - 20 percent in the private household segment and over 50 percent in the commercial segment - are reaching their growth limits. In addition, the economic development did not bring the expected slight upturn in the market.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, residential construction also declined in the 3rd quarter of 2002. This comes after the Swiss construction industry already had fewer building sites to work on in 2001 compared to the previous year. On the supplier side, the Wolfhausen-based company is confronted with price wars and eroding margins.
It is good to know that the Swiss brand is "very well established in the export business in the main markets of England, France and Italy and is increasingly taking on a strong position", according to the company.
Schulthess is responding to the harsh environment on the domestic market with a clear commitment to Switzerland as a development and production location. Accordingly, the appliances are positioned in the upper quality and price segment. In order to maintain this quality strategy, CEO Rudolf Kägi continues to focus on above-average innovation.
CFO Max M. Müller does not attribute the recovery of the share price from its annual low in October to the upcoming technology launch. Instead, he cites the company's solidity and growth in the export business as evidence of good prospects for the future - and the new development for a clear lead over the competition: Schulthess is launching a washing drum that has been enlarged by 10 percent in time for the construction trade fair at the end of January.
Saying goodbye to athletics is not difficult
With unchanged external dimensions, the free-floating technology in the Spirit models achieves better space conditions and a more efficient washing process. Program times can be further shortened and water and energy consumption reduced.
While the marketing managers used to advertise the short program times - with somewhat mundane athletics visuals - they are now switching to emotions.
The strategy they developed with Giger & Partner is designed to appeal to both men and women. "While women tend to make the purchasing decision in single-family homes, it's men who make the decision when buying for apartment buildings or in the commercial sector," says Rémy P. Giger, explaining the decision to move away from sports motifs. The tonality of the campaign is a mix of emotional elements - fabrics, lightness, stylized butterfly - and technical facts. The butterfly in Schulthess' corporate colors also forms the link to nature, which is in line with sustainable production.
